Presidential races

President Obama’s chances of winning a second term have significantly improved over the past couple of months.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), exploring a presidential bid, touted his recording of “taming” government spending in Minnesota.

The Tea Party favorite said she was there to "lay out the very important issues Iowans will be grappling with."

Democrats looked to drum up enthusiasm among their supporters on Thursday, circulating an e-mail claiming that President Obama has accomplished more than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The e-mail — signed by Vice President Joe Biden — thanked activists at the grassroots arm of the Democratic National Committee, Organizing for America, and asked them for their continued support.

"We knew it would take time. We knew it would be hard. And we knew we would sometimes make mistakes," Biden wrote. "But we did not lose sight of what we came to do. Together, we took on difficult issues that had been put off for decades. And some say we have accomplished more in two years than any administration since Roosevelt's."

The message comes as Democrats are beginning to gear up for Obama's 2012 reelection race. The White House announced Thursday that the president approved the creation of his Chicago campaign headquarters and named top staffers. 

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said he would not "contradict the vice president."

"I think it's a big deal," he joked, playing off Biden's famous remark just before Obama signed his landmark healthcare overhaul into law.

Democrats are looking to seize early momentum in the 2012 race since no serious Republican candidates have officially entered the campaign. 

Biden told supporters that the administration's success is "literally proof that the organizing you do on the ground — the conversations you have with your friends and neighbors — is working."

The e-mail contained a list of legislative accomplishments, including healthcare reform, financial regulatory reform, the stimulus, the auto bailouts and the repeal of the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, among others.

The committee also released a report titled "Promises Kept" that reviews Obama's first two years in office.

—This post was updated at 2:53 p.m.

Sam Youngman contributed to this post.

The U.S. Ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman, played it coy at Wednesday's state dinner when asked by reporters about the 2012 presidential race.

Asked if he was considering a run in 2012, the former Utah governor answered, "We're loyal to our country and our president."

The question to Huntsman came after President Obama joked earlier in the day that the former governor's role in his administration might not be the best launching pad for a presidential run.

At a White House news conference, Obama praised Huntsman's work as ambassador, adding, "And I'm sure that him having worked so well with me will be a great asset in any Republican primary."

Huntsman is the ultimate 2012 dark horse — most observers are convinced he won't enter next year's presidential race.

But in an interview with Newsweek published earlier this month, Huntsman wouldn't rule out a 2012 bid, saying, "I think we may have one final run left in our bones."

Rep. John Lewis said Democrats need to "go all out" to win back white Southern voters before the next election.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) will not attend the Super Bowl when it’s played in Texas on Feb. 6 —instead he’ll be in Simi Valley, Calif., attending events celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of the late Ronald Reagan.

Our colleague, Christian Heinze at The Hill's GOP 12, found that gem of information reported in the Dallas Morning News.

Perry will be sworn into office for the fourth time Tuesday and, despite his repeated denials that he's interested in a White House bid, his actions continue to spark talk of 2012.

The governor addressed the House Republican annual conference in Baltimore over the weekend and he recently went on a book tour, which included several national media appearances.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani on Sunday did not rule out a run for the White House.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie brushed off a poll that showed him leading a pack of hypothetical GOP 2012 contenders.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney resigned from his spot on Marriott's board, a move seen as a step toward running for president.

The Boston Globe reported that Romney had stepped down from the hotel chain's board of directors, mirroring a move he made four years ago before his run for office.

Romney's seen as likely to jump into the presidential race, but not until later on in the cycle. By contrast, he formed his exploratory committee on Jan. 3, 2007 when he pursued the nomination in 2008.

The former Massachusetts governor is currently on a trip abroad — to Afghanistan, Jordan and Israel — to bone up on his foreign policy credentials.